From new home construction to major remodels, homeowners are increasingly turning to energy efficient and green building practices to make their homes more environmentally friendly.
Living in an eco-friendly home is attainable with the ever-increasing number of green building products on the market. Homeowners now have green options for everything from insulation and flooring to lawn fertilizer and paint.
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As more companies tout green products and services, consumers should do their homework to ensure their contractor understands eco-friendly techniques and practices them.
According to a nationwide Angie's List poll:
- 72 percent of respondents consider green work practices important, and of those, 15 percent try to hire only green service providers.
- In a separate poll, however, 62 percent of respondents say they're either somewhat skeptical or consider most green claims to be gimmicks.
Green often means different things to different people. Researching a company's certifications will help weed out the shady from the sincere.
- For example, LEED certification means that an independent, third party verifies a home meets high performance standards in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
- Contractors certified as green professionals by the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry must document experience and training.
Angie's List Tips: Is a company really green?